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2003 GCSAA Leadership Survey
The 2003 GCSAA Leadership Survey, a real-time, computerized, opinion poll conducted at GCSAA's conference and show in Atlanta and available through GCSAA Web site, examined the opinions of superintendents on trends in golf and golf course management. The survey is designed to position the golf course superintendent as an expert in trends affecting the golf industry.
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The 2003 GCSAA Leadership Survey, a real-time, computerized, opinion poll conducted at GCSAA's conference and show in Atlanta and available on the GCSAA Web site, examined the opinions of superintendents on trends in golf and golf course management. The survey is designed to position the golf course superintendent as an expert in trends affecting the golf industry.
| What is the SINGLE greatest challenge to the continued improvement of golf course conditions in the next five years? |
| Budgetary issues |
50%
|
| Increased environmental regulation |
10%
|
| Labor shortages |
5%
|
| Water issues (quantity, quality, availability) |
21%
|
| Increasing golfer expectations |
11%
|
| Golfer behavior |
2%
|
| Don't know/No answer |
1%
|
| Which ONE of these popular new turfgrasses do you think will have the biggest impact on your profession as a whole (not just limited to your facility) in the next decade? |
| Paspalum |
18%
|
| Roundup Ready Creeping Bentgrass |
50%
|
| Buffalograss |
2%
|
| Seeded Zoysiagrass |
3%
|
| Seeded Bermudagrass |
9%
|
| None of the above |
12%
|
| Don't know/No answer |
7%
|
| For what ONE area do you plan most capital expenditures in 2003? |
| Upgrading irrigation systems |
15%
|
| Improving drainage systems |
8%
|
| Reconstruction of greens, tees and bunkers |
14%
|
| Buying new maintenance equipment |
45%
|
| Building maintenance facilities/structures |
8%
|
| None of the above |
10%
|
| Don't know/no answer |
1%
|
| What percent of your employees speak Spanish as their first language? |
| 20% or less |
59%
|
| 21% to 40% |
7%
|
| 41% to 60% |
9%
|
| 61% to 80% |
12%
|
| 81% or more |
14%
|
| What level of Spanish do you speak? |
| None |
19%
|
| 5 to 20 words, but no complete sentences |
51%
|
| Able to communicate in basic sentences |
26%
|
| Fluent |
3%
|
| Please RANK the following factors in terms of limiting your ability to produce quality turf conditions. (1 - most significant to 8 - least significant) |
| |
1
most important |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8
least important |
| Availability of qualified employees |
13% |
14% |
11% |
15% |
9% |
13% |
11% |
13% |
| Restricted budgets |
35% |
16% |
14% |
8% |
7% |
8% |
8% |
5% |
| Adverse weather conditions |
17% |
21% |
14% |
11% |
10% |
11% |
8% |
7% |
| Unrepaired ballmarks |
8% |
8% |
11% |
11% |
14% |
17% |
17% |
14% |
| Disease |
4% |
12% |
19% |
17% |
13% |
15% |
13% |
6% |
| Golfer traffic |
5% |
12% |
11% |
14% |
20% |
15% |
13% |
10% |
| Golf car traffic |
8% |
12% |
14% |
16% |
17% |
13% |
12% |
9% |
| Excessive competition from trees |
7% |
8% |
13% |
13% |
11% |
8% |
12% |
28% |
| If you've had to remove trees to provide quality turf on your course, would you say that convincing golfers to support tree removal has been: |
| Almost impossible |
5%
|
| Very difficult |
10%
|
| Moderately difficult |
32%
|
| Relatively easy |
25%
|
| No problem |
16%
|
| Not applicable |
12%
|
| Please RANK the following tools in terms of importance in the daily management of your golf course. (1 - most important to 7 - least important) |
| |
1
most important |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8
least important |
| Personal computer |
11% |
14% |
15% |
20% |
16% |
18% |
5% |
1% |
| Palm organizer (PDA) |
2% |
1% |
3% |
2% |
4% |
10% |
50% |
27% |
| Irrigation system |
55% |
27% |
5% |
5% |
4% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
| Golf car |
5% |
11% |
23% |
22% |
20% |
13% |
5% |
1% |
| Cellular phone |
5% |
10% |
11% |
14% |
20% |
22% |
12% |
6% |
| Mower |
38% |
32% |
13% |
7% |
4% |
2% |
2% |
2% |
| Two-way radio |
14% |
18% |
21% |
17% |
12% |
9% |
5% |
4% |
| Don't know/No Answer |
4% |
1% |
0% |
2% |
1% |
4% |
14% |
75% |
| Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have been the two most dominant players of the past 40 years. In your opinion, which one of them faced the best competition from other players? |
Jack
(whose competition included Player, Palmer, Trevino, and Watson) |
59%
|
Tiger
(whose competition has included Mickelson, Duval, Garcia and Els) |
41%
|
| In your opinion, which of these options has the most potential to increase golfer participation? |
| Affordable public and daily fee courses |
59%
|
| Junior golf programs |
24%
|
| Less challenging courses (i.e., multiple forward tees that match skill levels) |
8%
|
| Introductory programs for adults |
6%
|
| Programs that bring golf to disadvantaged youth
|
2%
|
| For what do you (the superintendent) use the Internet? |
| Industry information |
96%
|
| General information (general news, sports, weather) |
95%
|
| Commercial purchases |
34%
|
| Commercial product research |
87%
|
| Personal use (research, purchase, etc.) |
98%
|
| Communicating with others/email |
98%
|
| Accessing information from GCSAA |
98%
|
| Where do you have e-mail access? |
| No access at work or home |
1%
|
| Work only |
7%
|
| Home only |
16%
|
| Work and Home
|
77%
|
| Among the golfers you see at your course, what would help them the most? |
| Scheduling a series of lessons with a good teaching professional |
32%
|
| Buying new equipment (clubs, balls, gloves, etc.) |
0
|
| Taking a playing lesson that emphasized course management |
50%
|
| Learning to play faster, and letting their natural ability emerge |
18%
|
| Which of these changes would relieve the most stress for you?
|
| Changing jobs |
9%
|
| Making more money |
20%
|
| Losing weight |
12%
|
| Moving somewhere else |
4%
|
| Getting in better physical shape |
40%
|
| Don't know/No answer |
15%
|
| What factor MOST limits how often people get out to play golf? |
| Slow play leading to long rounds |
16%
|
| The cost of green fees/memberships |
31%
|
| Difficulty in getting a tee time |
2%
|
| Commitments to work and family |
46%
|
| Don't know/ No Answer |
5%
|
| How often do YOU get to play golf? |
| Never |
2%
|
| Less than 5 times a year |
12%
|
| 5 to 15 times a year |
33%
|
| 16 to 25 times a year |
25%
|
| 26 to 34 times a year |
14%
|
| More than 35 times a year |
13%
|
| What percentage of avid golfers at your facility understand that golf courses used for major tournaments are slowly brought to "tournament condition" and that those conditions are not sustainable for more than a few days?
|
| None |
8%
|
| Under 10 percent |
42%
|
| 11 to 30 percent |
24%
|
| 31 to 50 percent |
15%
|
| 51 to 70 percent |
6%
|
| 71 to 90 percent |
4%
|
| 91 to 100 percent |
0
|
| On average, how many hours of televised golf (tournaments or other programming) do you watch per week? |
| Less than one hour |
38%
|
| 1 to 2 hours |
33%
|
| 3 to 4 hours |
21%
|
| 5 to 6 hours |
5%
|
| 7 to 8 hours |
2%
|
| 9 to 10 hours |
1%
|
| More than 11 hours
|
0
|
| On average, how many hours reading of golf literature (either related to playing the game or maintenance) do you average per week (include newspapers, magazine, Internet)? |
| Less than one hour |
6%
|
| 1 to 2 hours |
34%
|
| 3 to 4 hours |
30%
|
| 5 to 6 hours |
13%
|
| 7 to 8 hours |
10%
|
| 9 to 10 hours |
4%
|
| More than 11 hours
|
3%
|
| Do you host any type of an open house at your facility during the year for golfers and/or general public? |
| Yes |
21%
|
| No |
79%
|
| Do you serve as a consultant (either paid or on a volunteer basis) for athletic facilities or grounds other than your facility?
|
| Yes |
46%
|
| No |
54%
|
| Please RANK the most important actions for homeowners to take to generate a healthy lawn. (1 - most important to 6 - least important) |
| |
1
most important |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6
least important |
| Proper watering |
41% |
25% |
17% |
7% |
5% |
4% |
| Proper grass selection |
35% |
20% |
18% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
| Proper fertilization program |
15% |
26% |
31% |
22% |
5% |
1% |
| Proper weed control program |
6% |
9% |
10% |
25% |
32% |
17% |
| Proper aerification/verticutting program |
4% |
3% |
12% |
17% |
22% |
42% |
| Maintain proper mowing height |
30% |
21% |
17% |
11% |
14% |
7% |
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